Raymond A Spruance

The next chapter in our commanders series.
#worldwarii #navy

[ThePrader]

I was a navy officer. I have 'been to sea". In my studies I have never read about any US admiral that was the equal to Admiral Spruance. He was modest, competent in the extreme, brave, and at the same time conserved the lives of his men and his ships. Most importantly, he won battles.

[Ricky]

He is buried alongside Nimitz, Turner and Lockwood at Golden Gate National Cemetery. Just a few Stones away from where my mother is.

[DavidRamirez-wwkv]

I remember reading about Admiral Spruance when I was 13 years old reading the Ballantine history books of WWII. A great American hero.

[haimbenavraham]

Thank you sir, for that invaluable historical information. Courageous times, producing courageous warriors.

[danaohlson]

Raymond Spruance. I looked up the word competent in the dictionary, and there was his picture.

[Oldag]

Terrific summary, sir. Herman Wouk's "War and Remembrance" account of the Battle of Midway -- in addition to recognizing the unparalleled aggressiveness of the US Navy flyers, many who attacked despite suicidal odds, the heart and soul of the United States of America in action -- was acknowledgement that Midway established Raymond Spruance's place among the greatest naval commanders in world history. Nelson of Trafalgar... Spruance of Midway. It is arguable that the most valuable decision of William Halsey's career was his unhesitating recommendation that Spruance take his place for the coming Midway battle, after Halsey got beached by his debilitating skin ailment.

[tomkelley]

I believe Admiral Halsey's fleet was labeled 3rd Fleet while Admiral Spruance was the commander of the 5th fleet.

[JonGabriel]

Thanks so much for focusing on this legend. Spruance is so underappreciated.

[michaelheather]

I would have included Lee and king in this list without any doubt and also think spruance should have got the extra star over Halsey
Excellent video by the way thank you

[michaelcoe]

Ray Spruance was by far the best admiral in the Pacific. I am a little ambivalent about Mark Mitcher.

[natonorad]

Halsey's redeeming decision regardless of his mistakes was to recommend Spruance to lead TF 16&17 at Midway. The result speaks for itself at Midway and thereafter Spruance leading 5th Fleet for the rest of the war. I can't find any significant example of poor leadership or command decisions to point to for Spruance but of course I'm sure there were minor ones. Even if not his directly, his responsibility of those under him doing so. As for Halsey, the major ones that come to mind are surprisingly a vague feel of perhaps overdcaution during the Guadalcanal campaign, especially with carrier deployment or scarcity, as well as what appeared to be ignorance tactically with surface warfare in the region. He ordered a lot of surface warships to engage without carrier support and based upon the poor performance of much of the surface warships, a lack of ensuring preparedness for the task. Another poor decisions were not one, but two run ins with typhoons. You can say maybe one snuck up on you and you hadn't experience to weather it as well as you should of (some lack of competency but not not gross negligence) but a second one that could have been avoided and the similary lack of competency, now that seems grossly negligent) Both resulted in significant damage to the fleet and loss of life. Another example getting completely pulled out of tactical position to protect the Philippine Landings. Given the intelligence he had, it appears he and his subordinates were grossly negligent. it appeared that they vastly underestimated the will, capability, and intelligence of the Japanese. In doing so he left the landings and supporting forces Uncovered from adequate forces to defend it. The result is Taffy 3 coming under fire, some jeep carriers with no training or ordinance for planes to attack ships, and a few destroyers / destroyer escorts to defend. Even when asked to leave forces behind including battleships which were not going do much to enhance the engagement of the Japanese carriers. He still brings them along. He knew there was a central and southern force but made an assumption the Japanese turned back the middle force after it was attacked. Assumptions in war when they aren't justified are bad. This one was and he had years of experience by then, enough intelligence or, in other case, lack of it to make the decision not to run after the enemy carriers far out of position of the landing area of operation. Thank god for Jesse Olendorf for pulling the bombardment force from the beachheads and moving them south to counter the Japanese at Surigao Straight. And to Admiral Sprague and company for putting up a legendary fight of David and Goliath proportions. Yea, Halsey really, really screwed up there. If it hadn't been for Halseys grandstanding to the Media up to then he would have been releived of command. In all my research, and facts from different sources, other peoples analysis involved or part of the war effort from that time, there is no conclusion that this wasn't a major screw up on Halseys part. I don't dislike the man, but like General McArthur, he was a little to full of himself and in my thinking was a good single or two carrier task for commander, when guts were needed early on to mind the gap, but was not good at larger more complex endevours. So...yea...Admiral Spruance was far better and should have gotten a 5th Star but was so humble he told others not to lobby for one and said Halsey deserved one. In my opinion, and I know that means little, Spruance was one of our best Admirals ever. Commanding the largest/most powerful force to ever been assembled in history, even to this day. (excluding nukes and SAMs and Cruise Missiles, Mach planes, etc., I think you know what I mean)

[brianrajala]

I dn know much about Spruance, but what I have read was very positive.

[ronstewtsaw]

I am about halfway through the Spruance biography, "The Quiet Warrior." I get the impression that he and Halsey were good friends and that they admired each other. For all their differences, they were very much both on the same side.

Another nugget that I gleaned was that Nimitz and Spruance hardly new each other until Spruance became Nimitz's chief of staff, and they were living in the same house. For all that, they were both cut from the same cloth.

[hdfoster]

As Tom Kelley poited out Spruance was in command of the 5th Fleet while Halsey commanded the 3rd Fleet. Now here is the twist both the 5th Fleet and the 3rd Fleet were exactly the same group of ships. Only the name (designation) of the Fleet changed when the command changed hands between Spruance and Halsey. Why? There is a long tradition in the Navy of referring to the commander of the ship or Fleet or unit by the designation (name) given to the ship, Fleet or unit they command. For example, when Spruance relieves Halsey, Spruance's arrival on board his flagship (or office headquarters) would be announced over the 1MC as "5th Fleet arriving." Likewise when Halsey relieved Spruance he would be announced as 3rd Fleet arriving. Consequently, you can see the confusion that might ensue if they announced Spruance as 3rd Fleet arriving, and Halsey's departure as 3rd Fleet departing. Who's in charge??? This such confusion is eliminated by redesignating the physical grouping of ships that they each command, at different times, as 3rd Fleet when Halsey is in command and 5th Fleet when Spruance is in charge.

[brucefredrickson]

It was a "Navy affair" but the Marines were the war fighters for the Navy. Admiral King stated that Spruance was the smartest admiral he knew.

[frankcherry]

Please don’t say ‘Primarily a Navy affair’. Sheesh I will be fighting the Marines every time I go in a VFW post! Haha!

[TheJd]

A humble quiet man, but he got the job done.

[kaylemoine]

Thanks. There isn’t much written about him. Good info.

[cbroz]

...we don't hear much about Ray Soruance or Marc Mitscher...

[randywarren]

I wouldn't call Frank Jack Fletcher a great admiral! He lost the Yorktown at Midway and at Guadalcanal he pulled out after 3 days leaving the 1st Marine Division alone because the ships that brought them to the island had to leave due to no air cover!